If you want to experience the stylish feel of Nantucket, Disney’s Yacht Club, with its New England-inspired lakeside setting, is perfect for you. Liliane Opsomer, coauthor of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World with Kids, recently stayed at the Yacht Club and loved it.
The resort faces the 25-acre Crescent Lake, complete with lighthouse and marina. The gray paint is the only thing that distinguishes the Yacht Club, from the outside, from its sister property, the Beach Club.
The nautical theme greets guests as they enter the lobby and is carried throughout the resort. A giant globe sits on a windrose-inspired carpet, and the public rooms convey the feeling of an upscale home where the owners have put on display delicate objects from their voyages.
I stayed in a deluxe room with a view on Crescent Lake, from where I could enjoy the nightly fireworks over Epcot.
The rooms are elegantly decorated in hues of beige and blue. The stark white of the bedlinen works well with the dark furniture, and the wood floor completes the sophisticated look. The nautical theme is subtle, found in the steamer trunks-inspired bedside tables, the brass decoration on the furniture, and the art on the wall.
There is very little Mickey to be found in the new rooms (you can find him in the curtains where he is represented as part of the night sky pattern and as hidden Mickeys on the art), but, for me, less Mickey is sometimes more.
The 381-square-foot room came with a king bed, a sofa, a desk and two chairs, as well as a dresser with a flat-panel TV. Other room amenities are a full-length mirror, a Keurig coffee maker, a mini fridge, ironing board, iron, a large in-room safe, and a hairdryer. Rooms with two queen-size beds are also available.
The bath has a two-head shower and plenty of H2O-brand products, and it is separated from the dressing room area. I love to have a separate dressing room area with two sinks and plenty of counter space, so that more than one person can get ready at the same time.
One of the perks of staying at the Yacht Club is the proximity to both Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot. The resort is connected to the parks via boat service, but the 15-minute walk to either park is much faster. Returning by boat at night, however, is lovely, and your feet will thank you. You can also easily reach the Magic Kingdom by taking the Monorail from Epcot. As for the Animal Kingdom, the resort offers a bus service.
There is plenty to do at the resort, but nothing outdoes the 3-acre Storm-Along Bay pool complex, complete with sand bottom, a lazy river, a water slide built inside a life-size shipwreck, kids splash areas, 3 jetted spas, and, of course, a poolside bar. If you would like to relax without the little tykes, there is a quiet pool available.
The Yacht Club, and the adjacent Beach Club, offers a variety of dining options, including Yachtsman Steakhouse, The Ale & Compass Restaurant, and Cape May Cafe, which, during breakfast, offers a character meal. And who can resist Beaches & Cream and the famous Kitchen Sink dessert? In addition to all of this, there are counter service options, lounges, and (did I mention?) the pool bar.
If all of this is not enough, you are right on the Boardwalk with more restaurants, the Atlantic Dance Hall nightclub, and the one and only dueling pianos bar: Jellyrolls! Only a 10-minute walk away, the Swan & Dolphin offers a combined 17 restaurants and lounges for you to enjoy. After a busy day in the park, sit on your terrace, sip a glass of wine, and enjoy the view!
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